Stephen Huang

Biotechnology Specialist

“Although time management at work is sometimes difficult, I have learned and improved how to prioritize my work and quickly adapt when circumstances changed. Good time management not only ensures that things stay organized as much as possible but also gives a very productive work result.”

 

What was the most difficult aspect of adjusting to work and life in Japan initially?

The language barrier. It was something that I could never imagine or realize before I arrived in Japan and it felt like I was almost restarting everything in life. Notwithstanding that the communication in Japanese was never easy; this did not detract from all the other wonderful things that I have experienced later on in Japan both at work and outside of work!

How would you describe co-workers when you arrived?

The leaders and seniors have been really nice, friendly, and helpful to me. I think the whole experience of working in Japan or at the Firm would have been much more difficult without all their help or advice. I also feel very fortunate that we have been keeping this tradition that I believe the new comers will feel like home when they start working at the Firm.

What have been your three fondest leisure experiences in Japan?

Hot spring onsen, delicious food, and nature are my favorite things about Japan. The amazing thing about the hot spring cities in Japan is that, I get to enjoy all three wonderful things in one package. They are not only great ways to take my minds off stressful matters; I can also appreciate Japanese culture at a much deeper level.

What are the challenging or difficult aspects of your work?

I think scheduling and time management are the most difficult challenges or aspects of this work. It is sometimes not possible to look at your calendar and plan all the daily tasks because you do not know what could come in the next minute. Sometimes urgent matters all arise at the same time. Nevertheless, it is a really rewarding feeling after all the tasks are accomplished well.

Do you feel like you're having an impact directly on the clients that you work for?

Definitely. Patents protect our clients’ commercial interest. However, most of our clients may not be familiar with the local practice in the patent law and may not know how to approach. We are here to assist our clients and protect and enforce their valuable intellectual property at the patent office, courts and against third parties. Every action that we take greatly impacts on the outcome of the clients’ patent rights and how well their products can be protected.

What work skills and habits have you learned or improved?

Although time management at work is sometimes difficult, I have learned and improved how to prioritize my work and quickly adapt when circumstances changed. Good time management not only ensures that things stay organized as much as possible but also gives a very productive work result. I have also learned to be more versatile while prioritizing my tasks. Things can be accomplished not just in one way as long as it can be done right.

When I am not at work, I am ...

enjoying the culture and lifestyle in Japan as much as I can. The great thing about Japan is that there are events or festivals happening almost all the time. The more I am involved in these activities, the more they make me like about this city and country.

What is the most important thing that working at SY has taught you about yourself?

Stay focused but be flexible. Every day we are dealing with many of different cases. Nevertheless we only have a fixed budget of time that allows us to complete the duty before the deadline. The firm has taught me that when working on a case, the most important thing is to focus on the gist of the project, which is our client's desired product, but in the meantime to stay flexible and open-minded that we do not dwell on a single point if there can be alternatives to achieve the same result.

What advice would you give to entry level recruits?

Working at the Firm may be very stressful sometimes. My advice is to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Exercising, sightseeing, or whichever that works the best to rejuvenate yourself. That way we grow stronger and fitter so that we can continue putting our best effort at work.